《夜与日》第161章

precisely　it　was。　
“I　find　Cassandra；”　she　repeated。　
“She　missed　her　train；”　Katharine　interposed；　seeing　
that　Cassandra　was　unable　to　speak。　
“Life；”　began　Mrs。　Hilbery；　drawing　inspiration　from　the　
portraits　on　the　wall　apparently；　“consists　in　missing　trains　
and　in　finding—”　But　she　pulled　herself　up　and　remarked　
that　the　kettle　must　have　boiled　pletely　over　everything。　
To　Katharine’s　agitated　mind　it　appeared　that　this　kettle　
was　an　enormous　kettle；　capable　of　deluging　the　house　
in　its　incessant　showers　of　steam；　the　enraged　representative　
of　all　those　household　duties　which　she　had　neglected。　
She　ran　hastily　up　to　the　drawingroom；　and　the　
rest　followed　her；　for　Mrs。　Hilbery　put　her　arm　round　
Cassandra　and　drew　her　upstairs。　They　found　Rodney　ob
serving　the　kettle　with　uneasiness　but　with　such　absence　
of　mind　that　Katharine’s　catastrophe　was　in　a　fair　way　to　
be　fulfilled。　In　putting　the　matter　straight　no　greetings　
were　exchanged；　but　Rodney　and　Cassandra　chose　seats　
as　far　apart　as　possible；　and　sat　down　with　an　air　of　
people　making　a　very　temporary　lodgment。　Either　Mrs。　
Hilbery　was　impervious　to　their　disfort；　or　chose　to　
ignore　it；　or　thought　it　high　time　that　the　subject　was　
changed；　for　she　did　nothing　but　talk　about　Shakespeare’s　
tomb。　
“So　much　earth　and　so　much　water　and　that　sublime　
spirit　brooding　over　it　all；”　she　mused；　and　went　on　to　
sing　her　strange；　halfearthly　song　of　dawns　and　sunsets；　
of　great　poets；　and　the　unchanged　spirit　of　noble　loving　
which　they　had　taught；　so　that　nothing　changes；　and　
one　age　is　linked　with　another；　and　no　one　dies；　and　we　
all　meet　in　spirit；　until　she　appeared　oblivious　of　any　one　
in　the　room。　But　suddenly　her　remarks　seemed　to　contract　
the　enormously　wide　circle　in　which　they　were　soaring　
and　to　alight；　airily　and　temporarily；　upon　matters　of　
more　immediate　moment。　
432　
Virginia　Woolf　
“Katharine　and　Ralph；”　she　said；　as　if　to　try　the　sound。　
“William　and　Cassandra。”　
“I　feel　myself　in　an　entirely　false　position；”　said　William　
desperately；　thrusting　himself　into　this　breach　in　her　
reflections。　“I’ve　no　right　to　be　sitting　here。　Mr。　Hilbery　
told　me　yesterday　to　leave　the　house。　I’d　no　intention　of　
ing　back　again。　I　shall　now—”　
“I　feel　the　same　too；”　Cassandra　interrupted。　“After　what　
Uncle　Trevor　said　to　me　last　night—”　
“I　have　put　you　into　a　most　odious　position；”　Rodney　
went　on；　rising　from　his　seat；　in　which　movement　he　was　
imitated　simultaneously　by　Cassandra。　“Until　I　have　your　
father’s　consent　I　have　no　right　to　speak　to　you—let　
alone　in　this　house；　where　my　conduct”—he　looked　at　
Katharine；　stammered；　and　fell　silent—”where　my　conduct　
has　been　reprehensible　and　inexcusable　in　the　extreme；”　
he　forced　himself　to　continue。　“I　have　explained　
everything　to　your　mother。　She　is　so　generous　as　to　try　
and　make　me　believe　that　I　have　done　no　harm—you　
have　convinced　her　that　my　behavior；　selfish　and　weak　as　
it　was—selfish　and　weak—”　he　repeated；　like　a　speaker　
who　has　lost　his　notes。　
Two　emotions　seemed　to　be　struggling　in　Katharine；　
one　the　desire　to　laugh　at　the　ridiculous　spectacle　of　
William　making　her　a　formal　speech　across　the　teatable；　
the　other　a　desire　to　weep　at　the　sight　of　something　
childlike　and　honest　in　him　which　touched　her　inexpressibly。　
To　every　one’s　surprise　she　rose；　stretched　out　her　
hand；　and　said：　
“You’ve　nothing　to　reproach　yourself　with—you’ve　been　
always—”　but　here　her　voice　died　away；　and　the　tears　
forced　themselves　into　her　eyes；　and　ran　down　her　cheeks；　
while　William；　equally　moved；　seized　her　hand　and　pressed　
it　to　his　lips。　No　one　perceived　that　the　drawingroom　
door　had　opened　itself　sufficiently　to　admit　at　least　half　
the　person　of　Mr。　Hilbery；　or　saw　him　gaze　at　the　scene　
round　the　teatable　with　an　expression　of　the　utmost　
disgust　and　expostulation。　He　withdrew　unseen。　He　paused　
outside　on　the　landing　trying　to　recover　his　selfcontrol　
and　to　decide　what　course　he　might　with　most　dignity　
pursue。　It　was　obvious　to　him　that　his　wife　had　entirely　
confused　the　meaning　of　his　instructions。　She　had　plunged　
433　
Night　and　Day　
them　all　into　the　most　odious　confusion。　He　waited　a　
moment；　and　then；　with　much　preliminary　rattling　of　the　
handle；　opened　the　door　a　second　time。　They　had　all　regained　
their　places；　some　incident　of　an　absurd　nature　
had　now　set　them　laughing　and　looking　under　the　table；　
so　that　his　entrance　passed　momentarily　unperceived。　
Katharine；　with　flushed　cheeks；　raised　her　head　and　said：　
“Well；　that’s　my　last　attempt　at　the　dramatic。”　
“It’s　astonishing　what　a　distance　they　roll；”　said　Ralph；　
stooping　to　turn　up　the　corner　of　the　hearthrug。　
“Don’t　trouble—don’t　bother。　We　shall　find　it—”　Mrs。　
Hilbery　began；　and　then　saw　her　husband　and　exclaimed：　
“Oh；　Trevor；　we’re　looking　for　Cassandra’s　engagement
ring！”　
Mr。　Hilbery　looked　instinctively　at　the　carpet。　Remarkably　
enough；　the　ring　had　rolled　to　the　very　point　where　
he　stood。　He　saw　the　rubies　touching　the　tip　of　his　boot。　
Such　is　the　force　of　habit　that　he　could　not　refrain　from　
stooping；　with　an　absurd　little　thrill　of　pleasure　at　being　
the　one　to　find　what　others　were　looking　for；　and；　picking　
the　ring　up；　he　presented　it；　with　a　bow　that　was　
courtly　in　the　extreme；　to　Cassandra。　Whether　the　making　
of　a　bow　released　automatically　feelings　of　plaisance　
and　urbanity；　Mr。　Hilbery　found　his　resentment　pletely　
washed　away　during　the　second　in　which　he　bent　and　
straightened　himself。　Cassandra　dared　to　offer　her　cheek　
and　received　his　embrace。　He　nodded　with　some　degree　
of　stiffness　to　Rodney　and　Denham；　who　had　both　risen　
upon　seeing　him；　and　now　altogether　sat　down。　Mrs。　
Hilbery　seemed　to　have　been　waiting　for　the　entrance　of　
her　husband；　and　for　this　precise　moment　in　order　to　put　
to　him　a　question　which；　from　the　ardor　with　which　she　
announced　it；　had　evidently　been　pressing　for　utterance　
for　some　time　past。　
“Oh；　Trevor；　please　tell　me；　what　was　the　d